Bottle closure sealing band



March 28, 1939. A, B, OLBY 2,151,690

BOTTLE CLOSURE SEALING BAND Filed April 29, 1956 Patented Mar. 28, 1939Allan "B. Colbypliancaster rdqlhsm ljancaster 'County,Pa., assignor toArni'strong CorkUonipany, Lancaster, Vania Application April 29,

3 Claims. This intention relates to a sealing band for "bott "cldsure'sandf'the"likeformed of astrip of ductile "metal "capable "of beingruptured along a score line or other *weakened portion, said "strip"being disposed at an overlapped portion thereof. It is an bbje'ctbfmyinvention'to provide a b a dfo'rbot tle closures formed ofrib-bon por otherc'omor "drawing operations. "Another "rivention is toprovidease'aling lanyhttenipted unsaling thereof sti'u'ction of aportion of'tlie band, anattenipt to adulteratethje' conthus'indicatingtents or removethe seal for some other illegal purpose.

strip of ductile metal of relatively light Weight and readily spinnablecharacter, such as aluminum, disposed as a substantially cylindricalband and adapted to embrace the closure to be sealed and a portion ofthe container to which the closure is applied, securing means disposedat the strip and preferably means of disclosing any sealing thereof.

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bottle having aclosure sealed with the sealing band of my invention; and Figure 2 is asectional view on line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Referring first to Figure 2, the closure for the receptacle 2 comprisesa cork stopper 3 having a flanged Wood top 4. This is a conventional iclosure commonly employed. The illustrated sealing band, generallyindicated by the numeral 5, comprises a cylindrical skirt 6 and aninwardly, radially extending flange I embracing the wood top 4 of thecork stopper 3.

It will be observed, by reference to Figure 1, that the material of theband is overlapped at 8 a distance sufiicient to permit sealing of thestrip. The preferred sealing means comprises a pair of integrally formedrivets 9 and which are preferably formed at the factory, but may be Pa.,a corporation" of "Pennsyli936, seriarNo. "76,882

partially formed therefa'nd the final"sealing of the band effected bythe bottler. The rivets 9 "and m compns eyelets'fl andl'2 formed in theinherply T3 of the overlapped portion 8 of the band. Outerply Hisperforated and the eyelets H and pass therethrough and are flangedradially'therearound as indicated at [5f to provide fa immater a for theplies l3 and I4, securing the "Swanseasutstamiany cylindrical band. Ifthe bottler be supplied with flat strips, the eye lets'and correspondingperforations willbe formed therein and rqrm aa of the sealing rivetswill be effected prior toass'embly of the b andwith the ew t bsi' s"actr of completely preformed bands, it is desir- "abl'e flto 'coinpletely fabricatethe bands at the manufactory since the assemblyoperation may be conveniently combined with the forming rea rInlassemblyof the'band with the closure and ,m ei lsi ,b ,.sa ,ih ki P q6 is i s pi 1 il sharn is si e: o u 95 top stopper Wand the bott j andthe lower edge Iii of the band is spun under a projection ll 'providedin the bottle finish. In order to permit of a spinning operation, thematerial of the band should be reasonably ductile, and if aluminum beemployed, it should be from approximately .005 to .010 of an inch inthickness.

In order to provide a convenient means for unsealing the band and at thesame time to provide an indication to the purchaser that the seal hasbeen tampered with, a tear tab I8 is provided which is cut from themetal of the band. In the illustrated embodiment, the tab is from theunexposed cut edge of the tab l8 in lines tangent to the rivets 9 andI0, and thence to the exposed edge of the outer ply M as shown inFigure 1. This provides a digit engageable portion, which, uponapplication of straining stress in a direction toward the rivets 9 andID will result in severance of the material of the strip along the linesl9 and 20, enlarging the digit engageable portion and directing theapplication of stress directly against the flanges l5 which are urged totheir original, axially extending plane or straightened out andunsealing of the band elfected, and that portion of the strip defined bythe score lines l9 and and embracing the rivets 9 and I0 is removed. Ifthe material from which the band is formed is of relatively lightweight, the material of the outer ply will probably be removed upon theapplication of straining stress rather than effecting Except forthebulky charopening up of the rivet flanges Hi. In any event, the sealis broken by the application of digital stress exerted through the teartab [8. The rivets 9 and 10, or other securing means which are employedin lieu thereof, should preferably hold the overlapped portions l3 andI4 sufiiciently securely that the application of straining stress by thetab I8 will result in severance of the material of the band along thelines l9 and 20 to the rivets 9 and Ill, or other sealing means, beforeopening up or breakage of the seal occurs and thus an indication will begiven to the consumer that tampering with the contents has beenattempted. The sealing means should also be capable of being broken bythe application of relatively slight stress such as that which may beinduced through a tear tab with the fingers.

The seal may be formed as an integral hollow rivet with its flange lyinginteriorly of the band and thus additionally insure against unauthorizedunsealing oi the band for, when the band-is in sealing position, theflange is inaccessible. If such a structure be employed, a reeniorcingrib should be provided encircling the securing rivet or rivets to limitthe tear and to localize the application of stress to the rivet.

A structure in which the rivet is formed interiorly of the band isdescribed and claimed in my copending application filed currentlyherewith.

My sealing band provides an easily fabricatable structure which requiresno involved drawing equipment and may be formed from a ribbon of sheetmetal with simple forming operations; provides a seal which istamperproof and easily applied; and provides a structure which may becompletely prefabricated prior to assembly with the closure andreceptacle.

While I have described certain specific preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe'form shown and described but may be otherwise embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sealing band for bottle closures comprising a strip of sheetmaterial disposed as a substan tially cylindrical band with anoverlapped portion, and a hollow rivet securing the overlapped portion,said rivet being flanged on the outer surface of the band, a portion ofthe strip constituting a digit engageable portion for applying strainingstress to the rivet to break the seal formed thereby, there being ascored line extending from the digital portion to the rivet and adaptedto be severed upon the application of the straining stress in an anamount insufficient to break' the seal.

2. A sealing band for bottle closures comprising a strip of sheetmaterial disposed as a substantially cylindrical band with an overlappedportion, and a pair of integrally formed rivets securing the strip atthe overlapped portion, a digit engageable portion for applyingstraining stress in the vicinity of the rivets, there being a weakenedportion extending from the digit engageable portion to the vicinity ofthe rivets and thence to an exposed transverse edge of the strip andseverable upon the application of straining stress by the digitengageable portion.

3. A sealing band for bottle closures comprising a strip of sheetmaterial disposed as a substantially cylindrical band with the endsthereof in circumferential overlapping relationship, there being anaperture in one overlapping end of said strip, and sealing meansdisposed through said aperture and securing the ends of said striptogether, a portion of the strip constituting a digit engageable portionto the said sealing means to break the seal formed thereby, there beinga weakened portion extending from the digital portion to the zone ofsaid sealing means adapted to be severed upon the application ofstraining stress in any attempted unsealing of the band.

ALLAN B. COLBY.

for applying straining stress

